Biography

Born in Winnipeg, David grew up on a diet of Marvel comic books and Edgar Rice Burrows novels. In the seventies, even after Tolkien's great work, both Fantasy and Science Fiction were still considered grade B stuff, until George Lucas changed the status of Science Fiction forever with Star Wars. Suddenly the genre was in vogue and marketable.

In 1980, convinced he could write epic High Fantasy, David purchased a used Underwood typewriter and set to work stumbling from one page to the next with absolutely no idea of what a protagonist was or where his plot was going. In three months he managed to produce 75 dreadful pages which he abandoned in disgust to get on with life.

Though the manuscript from 1980 is long gone, David never gave up on his dream of being a Fantasy writer. In 2002 he enrolled in a Writer's Digest correspondence course. It was a choice that changed his life. His instructor was Steven F. Havill, who taught him things like what POV (point of view) meant, why horses don't crawl, that stories have plots, and more importantly, how to make an outline. Armed with this new knowledge, David spent the next two years writing the first draft of FireDrakes. A short synopsis and the first chapter are available on this site.

Okanagan Life: Community Futures

What has David been up to?

Shatford Centre, Penticton, October 2011

Dave and Penticton's Art Gallery curator, Paul Crawford, pose for a picture during a dinner bash at the newly opened Shatford Centre.

Penticton Secondary, February 2011

Dave, in the school library at Penticton Secondary, talking about writing and publishing with the students. This event was sponsored by the South Okanagan Raise A Reader program.

Hooked On Books, Penticton, July 2010

Dave poses for a picture with Meg Tilly at Hooked On Books during her visit to Penticton. She was one of the instructors at the 2010 Penticton Writers And Publishers Youth Write Camp.

Besides the Youth write Camp, Penticton Writers And Publishers also sponsors an annual Young Writers Contest. For more information about these events click here.

South Okanagan Secondary, Oliver, May 2010

Dave poses with one of three grade 8 classes he visited at South Okanagan Secondary this year. Raise A Reader sponsored the visits and provided a book for each student in the class. This 'books for kids' aspect of the South Okanagan Raise A Reader program is the brainchild of Yasmin John-Thorpe who also manages the program.

McNicoll, Penticton, November 2009

Dave is busy with Raise-a-reader events again. This time at McNicoll School. He discusses writing, publishing with the children and reads from his book.

Each child is given a copy of their own to take home.

If you would like to have a visit from Dave please click here.

Naramata Faire, August 2008

Dave, local wizard, author and former "Naramation" is seen here taking a break from signing books with Naramata's citizen of the year, Flamethrower Bob.

The Naramata Faire, an annual event, begins with a parade and ends 8 hours later. It is a full day of swimming, dancing, playing, eating and flying the simulator used by the Snowbirds.

This small town of about 1800 citizens has some amazing talent. We don't just make grape wines out here.

Skaha Lake Middle School, June 2008

Dave talked about fantasy writing and read to the students at Skaha lake Middle School.

"What great kids. They are very mature and interesting. There will be some good writers coming out of that group. It was a good time for me and I think for them as well." David Korinetz